FAQs

Below are frequently asked questions for those interested in the Pacific Desk. Please take note that there are different answers for some questions depending on the location of the Pacific Desk (Guam/Hawaii).

Prospective Trainees Hawaii

The admission screening will consist of representatives from the Pacific Desk. The final selection team will comprise of representatives from the Pacific Desk, NOAA / NWS and other partnering organizations. The team will strive to create a cohort that appropriately represents the governments, technical areas, gender and ethnicity. You will be notified of your admission status no later than June 30, 2014.

Pacific application criteria are flexible. The selection team will evaluate applications based on their:

Formal Education

Experience

Candidates:

Must be a citizen of one of the following Pacific Island Countries: Cook Islands, Fiji, French Polynesia, Kiribati, Nauru, Niue, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu. (Special exception may be granted for citizens of Federated States of Micronesia, Palau, and the Republic of the Marshall Islands.)

Must to be able to obtain a US entry visa

Must be officially nominated and approved by their home meteorological organization/office.

Training is not for Scientific Officers (forecasters) who have gone through advanced training and met course (such as the Melbourne BoM), but for senior observers and non-scientific officers who might want to be forecasters

Written explanation may be provided for consideration for justification of any deviation from the above criteria.

The University of Hawai‘i Telecommunications and Social Informatics (UH TASI) Research Program will serve as the program coordinator. There will be a transparent application process.
Permanent Representatives (PRs) may nominate students to submit applications for the on-site training program. UH TASI will continue to provide updated and more detailed information.
Round trip airfare to Honolulu, HI, lodging, living stipend, course materials, and reimbursements for approved costs will be provided by the Pacific Desk.

The Pacific International Desk is one of the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA’s) contributions to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Voluntary Cooperation Program.